Invest in Responsive Design
As designs change, there are a few aspects of websites that remain the same. Without a reliable host, you could face timing issues and be unable to fully use your platform. A good host will provide regular backups, automatic upgrades, and offer scalability. When you search for a host, look for a company with a strong track record.
Don’t skimp on hosting.
Focus on Simplicity
Simplicity goes beyond the clean look of your website and the user experience. Make sure your site can adapt to the ebb and flow of trends. You should easily be able to change design aspects, content, and other aspects of a page from your office without the help of a developer. Look for a website development company that offers the tools you’ll need (i.e., a comprehensive content management system) to customize your site in the future.
Invest in a Visionary Website Team
Whether you have a website team in-house, or you rely on an agency, partner with a team that understands your business’s long-term goals. Websites generally have a lifespan of 2-4 years, which means you’ll need to update or reinvent your online presence that often. If you choose a web team you trust to help you today and into the future, you can protect yourself from the inevitable slow decline.
Security is a Top Priority
Online security is an investment in your company’s and your website’s future. A security breach can jeopardize customer information, change your SEO outlook, and have other negative effects on your website strategy. Security plugins, system backups, and routine security checks can help you avoid a devastating security incident.
Never Forget the Links
Although this part isn’t fun, try to check links to make sure they all still work regularly. Links that don’t go anywhere or that are of poor quality won’t help consumers reading through blog content or elsewhere on your site. Similarly, link building for SEO improvement will backfire on you. Google is cracking down more and more on false link building strategies.
Focus on natural links that are relevant and from quality sources. You may want to consider investing in a backlink audit to get a clear picture of where your link building currently stands in your overall SEO strategy.
Stay Focused on Current SEO Practices
SEO changes constantly, and it should always be a long-term strategy for any business with an online presence. Take the time to understand which keywords your audience is searching for and remember the fundamental SEO principles that govern web site construction. Make sure you use unique headers, meta-descriptions, and other strong SEO-based strategies to successfully access the market.
Simplify Navigation
Site visitors aren’t interested in clicking through several pages of a site to find the information they need. Unfortunately, online attention spans may only get worse. Instead of developing an elaborate site architecture that might as well be a museum of antiquity, try to keep all pertinent information within three clicks of the main page.
Get Social
Many people find websites by logging into their social media feeds. If your company’s content isn’t there, it won’t get noticed. Make sure your main website is always accessible when you post any content on social media, and use analytics to target consumers who regularly use the standard social media platforms and up-and-coming ones.